1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drinking container such as a water bottle with a pair of telescoping straws, one of which is attached to a lid for the container and the other of which is threaded on a nut mounted on the lid and retracted inside the first straw when the nut is rotated.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Drinking containers with a straw passing though a lid are very popular with athletes and young people because the containers can be conveniently carried on a sports field, playground, camping trip and the like and may be filled, for example, with water, lemonade or other drinks which may be sipped through the straw without removing the lid from the container. Such containers, however, must be kept upright as the container will leak if it is tipped over, either at the straw or about the hole where the straw passes through the lid. The straw sticks out awkwardly and special carrying clips, brackets and the like have been developed for keeping the containers upright on a person, bicycle, etc.
A better drinking container would have a straw which could be retracted within the container, sealing the container as it retracts. Ideally, it would be easy to use and reliable. Various constructions have targeted this need, none of which have been entirely satisfactory. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,541 to Chen describes a water bottle with a straw and a spring loaded nipple which is relatively complicated and not easy to clean; U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,458 to Chunga, Sr. shows a spring loaded retractable straw that requires the user to push down on the straw with his fingers, contaminating the liquid in the container; U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,300 to Coonradt uses a stationary straw and a retractable straw popped up with an air pressure bulb, etc.